“We’ve given social media over to the marketers…we’ve been playing at this so far…we need to ‘be social’ as opposed to ‘doing social’…you need to drive social at your organization!”
That’s what Jim Durbin of Social Media Talent, told a group of over 200 recruiters and HR types assembled at the MN Recruiters Conference.
The long-time blogger, social business consultant, marketer, trainer, and headhunter was pointed and direct in his remarks about how recruiters can – and should – use social media.
“Recruiters are all social by nature, but most of us must have to work hard to learn how to make the best use of social media channels. And you need to if you really want to drive and spread influence in you organization.”
Here are a few of his tips:
- Read, read, read
- Find your audience online
- Figure out how they want to connect
- Engage them
- The public is looking for information – and finding it – outside of traditional means such as job boards, newspapers and company websites, so you have to be out there, too
- This is happening…with or without you
Durbin also suggested the following steps, even challenging the audience to actually enter this task on their calendars while sitting there and listening to him:
- Make a list of all of your placements
- Figure out a way to talk to them
- Find out how their jobs are going
- Discover what challenges they face
- Aggregate the information that is useful; to you and/or your bosses
- Be an Enterprise Improvement Consultant!
“Perhaps you can bring solutions to your bosses, and not just job candidates,” said Durbin. “Don’t be a desk jockey pushing resumes. Be someone who cares, who adds value, who solves problems, and is an expert on social media!”
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
I know this is just a small sample of what all we can do as recruiters to make better use of social media. But Jim’s broad point that we are hard wired to connect with people and that social media gives us new ways in which to do that is well taken. Not only can we find candidates that way, but we can also be found. How much easier would all of our jobs be if the best candidates come to us, instead of us having to always find them? Social media is a two way channel, that’s the beauty of it. Also, Jim’s suggestion to go back and reach out to those we have placed previously is brilliant. I didn’t put it on my calendar yet, but it’s on my to do list. Thanks for these simple and practical tips.
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We all talk a lot in the office and are really busy checking in with customers and employees constantly. We do a lot to stay in touch, “get the word out” and work with the community. Only myself and 1 other coworker really use social sites or read blogs when we can. I don’t have time to teach the others how to use everything or make the policies I would have to for redefined internet use. They may just play games. I wonder how useful it will really be. The face to face actual work is where we put our energies. I like the idea of being able to be reached easily and I use it a bit but wouldn’t my staff use their time best by making calls and physically going into the customers? I guess I’m just not sold on the value of social media enough to redirect resources from my team to power it.
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I think one of Jeff Durbin’s point explains it best Tammy,
“this is happening…with or without you”
Being connected online with someone doesn’t stop me from reaching out to them in the real world. It helps me have more things to talk about with them or even kid around with them about. I believe social technology enhances the human effort not replaces it. It’s really not one or the other. You don’t have to compromise your current efforts to succeed online as well. Reevaluate and re-coordinate your action plan. Call in a Saturday pow wow. Order some food for your team and get started being social on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, and make a blog list (a list of blogs that talk about the industry you’re servicing). Create a rotating schedule in the office so that your company has a constant presence online. One person can’t carry an entire company persona. Communicate with your team the goals and objectives when using online media and social sites. Be certain these are specific to your business goals in order to pursue the outcome you want. Show that you care enough to give it effort. The key here is organization and communication. You want them to use their time correctly and they need your guidance as a manager and a leader to do that. The fact that you took the time to comment shows you place some value in social media. Get to it Tammy before your competition passes you by!
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Great discussion everyone. Thanks for all of your comments. Absolutely this is hard work, and in many cases extra work, and there are only so many hours of the day, and we all have a finite amount of bandwidth. We can all agree on that. I also totally agree with the points and plan(s) Meredith laid out. Social media is not magic, and you do only get out of it what you put into it. For most, it does need to be at least a part of your engagement and marketing efforts. I love what Jim said in closing at the event, “It’s not speaking at conferences, or being on LinkedIn or Facebook or Twitter that makes you cool. It’s changing and improving the way companies work. Now that’s cool.”
Thanks for the comments, everyone. Just to be clear, that talk was primarily focused on internal recruiters, determining if they wanted to be part of change that is coming, or if they wanted to be left out of it.
External recruiters are in a different boat, but the ideas are the same. What makes social recruiting work is it’s what recruiters do. You don’t have to be online to be social. You do need to recognize that the skills recruiters have are being challenged by the public and the internal company adopting social media.
It’s not a matter of 100% face-to-face or 100% online. It’s determining the right mix for you and your clients and your employers. A person can spend all day on the phone and run into walls they can’t get over. Another person can spend all day on Facebook and never actually place someone. Both are failures.
One other thing I mentioned in the talk. If you’re a bad recruiter, social media isn’t going to make you better. But if you’re a good recruiter, social media will make you a great one.
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Thanks so much for contributing to the conversation Jim. I knew you would have some more solid points to make in response. And I also appreciate your pointing out the nuanced difference between internal and external recruiters. I did not make that distinction in the article. Anyone else care to join in and tell us whether whether you think social media is “worth” the investment in time and energy in general, and how you might be using it in your office specifically?
You’d be hard-pressed to find ANY company not on some sort of social networks these days. Social media is going to enhance productivity no matter what.
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